Most Christians believe the New Covenant promised to Israel was transferred to spiritual Israel, the Church. Yet if God made an unconditional promise to natural Israel, to break it would make him a liar. It is impossible for God to lie (Heb 6:18). Without realizing it, many well meaning Christians have made God out to be a liar.
Jer 31:31-34 says, “31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (KJV)
This text can only apply to natural Israel, not the Christian church.
- Vrs. 31: Covenant made with house of Israel and house of Judah.
- Vrs. 32: Won’t be like covenant they broke after coming out of Egypt [Not true of Christian church. The Christian church never came out of Egypt].
- Context verifies natural Israel is being spoken of…
Jer 31:27-28: 27 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. 28 And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD. (KJV)
The Christian church was never plucked up and thrown down and destroyed by the Lord. These words can only apply to natural Israel.
Jer 31:35-37: 35 This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar– the LORD Almighty is his name: 36 “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the LORD, “will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.” 37 This is what the LORD says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the LORD. (NIV)
Israel will never cease to be a nation as long as the sun, moon and stars shine. God will never reject Israel since on Paradise Earth, the sun, moon and stars will continue to shine.
1Peter3:6 shows that the Sarah covenant IS the mother of those in the New Covenant. The reason for this belonging, is not said to be flesh…but by Faith.
“as Sarah used to obey Abraham, calling him “lord.” And YOU have become her children, provided YOU keep on doing good and not fearing any cause for terror.”
Issac is not the 144000…Christ is the “seed”. After being born in the manner of flesh, he was raised in the manner of spirit. From Isaac, came Jacob …and his 12 sons.
These twelve sons according to the flesh, have been replaced by the apostles. These have become the founding fathers of the spiritual 12 tribes of anointed ones…all of which together, comprise New Jerusalem.
It is true that Jesus was sinless. None the less, he also was baptized as a symbol of repentance. He said the reason for this was that in that way “it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous”Matt.3:15. Jesus became the repurchasing father, providing the blood that sealed the New Covenant. Though such was not required for his own life, he did it, for the sake of his anointed sons. In this way, he humbly became first in all things.
Pearl – Thanks. I really respect your knowledge of the scriptures. My thought is that the book of 1 Peter never specifically mentions the New Covenant. When Sarah is discussed as our Mother on Galations 4, it is after Paul has been discussing two covenants, the Law Covenant (pictured by Hagar) and the Abrahamic Covenant (pictured by Sarah). Paul says in Galations, “If you are Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.” So according to Paul, we are blessed under the Abrahamic (on the New) Covenant.
Yes, God searches the heart.
He writes his laws on those hearts that are complete toward Him.
This purity of heart is revealed by how one regards the scriptures,
and if they direct one’s thinking in all humility.
All the nations, including Jews,
will be offered life…
Rev.22:17
“And the spirit and the bride keep on saying: “Come!” And let anyone hearing say: “Come!” And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.”
Yes, let “anyone that wishes”
…not just the Nation that rejected and executed the Son of God.
Gal.3:28,29
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female; for YOU are all one [person] in union with Christ Jesus. 29 Moreover, if YOU belong to Christ, YOU are really Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise.
If you are Abraham’s seed, you are Sarah’s seed…children of promise.
This is absolutely attached to Gal.4:23,24,26,28,31….
23 but the one by the servant girl was actually born in the manner of flesh, the other by the free woman THROUGH A PROMISE. 24 These things stand as a symbolic drama; for THESE WOMEN MEAN TWO COVENANTS, the one from Mount Si´nai, which brings forth children for slavery, and which is Ha´gar. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 28 Now we, brothers, are children belonging to the promise the same as Isaac was. 31 Wherefore, brothers, we are children, not of a servant girl, but of the free woman.”
That free woman is Sarah, the new covenant.
She is Jerusalem above.
She is mother of the heirs of the Kingdom.
They have been set free from sin, by the blood of that covenant.
Without blood being poured out, “no forgiveness takes place.”
Sarah’s children are free,
because of the blood of that covenant.
Why do you work to nullify the scriptures?
What of your original comments, and the scriptures to back them?
Pearl – You have thought these issues through deeply and you have some very intelligent thoughts. I do NOT think that Sarah pictured the New Covenant. Let me explain why.
(Note: when I say “church” I am usually referring the the anointed bride of Christ, those “baptized into Christ’s dearth (Rom 6) to be part of the heavenly 144,000.)
Let’s not two observations:
1) Nowhere in Galatians does Paul mention the “New Covenant.”
2) Paul explicitly mentions both the Law Covenant and the Abrahamic Covenant and begins that discussion in chapter 3.
Now let’s start reading with Gal 4:21. Paul says, “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?”
Notice, that some in the Early Church felt they were under the Law Covenant. So why doesn’t Paul simply tell them that they can’t be under the Law Covenant, because now they are under the New Covenant? If in Paul’s day the Church were already under the New Covenant, this would have been the obvious argement to bring out, The answer is that Paul did not make that arguement, because they were not under the New Covenant.
Now let’s read more.
Gal 4 (NASV)
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.
23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
24 This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.
25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
1) Vs 24 clearly states that Hagar and Sarah represent two covenants.
What Covenant does Hagar represent?
In verse 25, the covenant from Mount Sinai is clearly the Law Covenant. So, Hagar represents the Law Covenant. Ishmael, her son, represents natural Israel.
Gal 3:19 tells us that the Law was “added” to the Abrahamic Covenant. Hagar was “added” to Abraham’s family, illustrating that the Law was “added” to the Abrahamic Covenant.
Hagar’s son was born first and represents how the Jewish people were the first that came into the inheritance under God’s favor.
Notice how verse 25 says “she is in slavery with her children.” So even though in Paul’s day the Law Covenant was dying, the Jews were still in slavery, under that Law covenant. Hagar (the Law) was still with Ishmael (natural Israel).
Paul shows that the Jews were still under the Law Covenant in his day by explaining in Romans that that in order to come into Christ, they had to come out from under the Law Covenant.
Rom 7:4 … you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ,
6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. NASV
So Paul explains that in order for the Jews to come out from under the Law, they had to come into Christ.
Reading on – Gal 4 (NASV)
29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
30 But what does the Scripture say? “CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”
When Hagar was cast out, she took her son Ishmael with her, showing that during their period of disfavor, Israel has remained in bondage, under that dying Law Covenant, and will continue under the Law until the New Covenant replaces it.
What Covenant does Sarah represent?
Gal 4 (NASV)
26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
27 For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”
28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
Sarah is associated with Abrahamic Covenant and her son Isaac is The Christ, Head and Body, heirs of the promise–through whom all families of the earth are to be blessed. The Church is developed under the same Covenant-Mother as was Christ, a Covenant of sacrifice. (Psa 50:5)
As Sarah was older than Hagar, but barren for many years, so the primary, or chief, Covenant of God was barren for nearly two thousand years and only began to bring forth the seed of promise in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and also in the begetting of the entire Church by the holy Spirit. The antitypical son of Sarah has already been more than nineteen centuries in process of development.
After the Sarah Covenant has finished its travailing, and has fully brought forth the Isaac class (the Church), then the New Covenant will be established with natural Israel.
In the type Sarah died prior to the time that Isaac married Rebecca. This signifies that once the Church is complete and joined with her bridegroom, that the Abrahamic Covenant’s purpose of developing the spirtual seed will have already been completed. This Seed of Abraham will then be ready to bless all people. The Church will be aided by another covenant that was added, the New Covenant.
Why Should We Associate the Sarah Covenant with Spiritual Israel?
We often call the Sarah Covenant, the “Grace Covenant” or the “Covenant of Sacrifice.” It is that portion of the Abrahamic Covenant that relates to the spiritual seed, the bride of Christ. How do we know this?
Let’s again read Gal 4:28-29 again. (NASV)
Gal 4:28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
In verse 28, Paul says that we are “children of promise.” In verse 29, the expression, “him who was born according to the Spirit,” identifies the “heirs (or children) of promise” (of verse 23) as the spiritual seed of the Abrahamic Covenant. Therefore, Sarah pictures that part of the Abrahamic Covenant relating to the spiritual seed, not the earthly seed. Do you understand? (pause)
The earthly seed (sand of the sea) is not part of this Sarah type. Keturah pictures that. The New Covenant is added to the Abrahamic Covenant to aid in accomplishing the blessing to the earthly seed. Since there is overlap between the Abrahamic Covenant and the New Covenant in regards to the blessing of the earthly seed, Keturah represents the New Covenant, which would be a means of accomplishing the blessing of Abraham’s earthly seed. Sarah does not have a second son to picture the sand of the sea. To do so would confuse the fact that there would be a New Covenant pictured by a new wife, Keturah. This was the simplest way God could present this in type.
Why can’t Sarah represent the New Covenant?
As we know, Sarah represents the Abrahamic Covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant cannot be considered a New Covenant, since it is the oldest of the three covenants. The New Covenant will follow the Old Law Covenant which it replaces. It is the final covenant that follows both the Abrahamic and Law Covenants. The Old Sarah Covenant cannot represent the New Covenant.
Also, if Sarah represented the New Covenant, then that would place under it the Isaac Class, the spiritual seed. Christ, as head of that Isaac seed, cannot be under the New Covenant. He did not need anything the New Covenant provides in Jer 31. He did not need the forgiveness of sins, God’s law was already written on his heart and he already knew Jehovah. So it would make no sense for Sarah to represent the New Covenant, since we know that here seed, Jesus Christ, is not under that covenant, nor can be his body members.
Who represents the New Covenant?
We have already stated that we believe that Keturah represents the New Covenant. Abraham married Keturah (Gen 25) after Sarah died (Gen 23), showing that the New Covenant begins after the Abrahamic Covenant has completed the work of developing the spiritual seed, the Isaac Class. The New Covenant is added to the Abrahamic Covenant and becomes a means for the blessings of all the families of the earth.
Keturah did not become a wife until after Isaac’s marriage (Gen 24), which typified that the New Covenant would go into effect after the marriage of Christ and the Church. Keturah’s six sons pictured the imperfect world of mankind brought back under the New Covenant arrangement. When joined with the Ishmael class, natural Israel, we have a complete seven of all mankind under the New Covenant. Even though Keturah is called a wife in Gen 25:1, in 1 Chron 1:32 she is called a concubine. We think this is to demonstrate, even though Sarah was dead, she was Abraham’s special wife through whom his seed (Isaac) would come and no one else could be considered an equal wife to Sarah. In Heb 11:17 Isaac is called Abraham’s “only begotten son,” which highlights Sarah’s prominent status as Abraham’s wife.
So Keturah, the lesser wife, pictures the New Covenant, which was added to the Abrahamic Covenant.